One shot. Ino Sakura. Don't ask…

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I Know

The girl sat curled up in the corner of her bathroom, sobbing. Her make up ran down her face, and her white wedding kimono was stained with mascara and tears. She shivered as her shoulders shook as uncontrollably as her weeping.

She lifted her head slightly, looking at her surroundings. Her scared, untrusting green eyes darted to each corner of the room.

She was alone. He left her, and she was alone. No one was coming to save her from herself…no one.

She turned her head back into her lap, seeing the kimono; seeing herself. Her pale flawless skin and her beautiful dress. It was supposed to be a fairy tale wedding. But now she was the damsel in distress.

The only thing missing from this fairy tale was the happy ending; the prince was gone from the start.

"N-n-naruto…" she whispered, hearing the uncertainty in her voice. Why did he leave her? She clenched her eyes, remembering every detail of the night.

She walked down the isle, seeing him dressed in black, awaiting her arrival. He was smiling, and a lonely tear ran down Sakura's face. Something felt wrong. The smile wasn't filled with joy.

It was fake. He was clenching his teeth, not smiling. She whispered his name, and his head dropped. He was staring at the ground, not her.

She began running down the isle, and got to the end just as he collapsed.

"Naruto!" she screamed, falling to her knees and grasping the collar of his tuxedo. He wasn't breathing. Sakura leaned closer, burying her face in his chest. "No…" she sobbed.

'How could I have not known? It should've been obvious from the start…' she thought, clenching her eyes and fists and blocking out the rest. The memories hurt more than anything. She'd have to live the rest of her life knowing he hated her.

She'd live alone. She'd die alone. She'd be alone.

The silence of the room rung in her ears. Her slow, steady heartbeat was the only sound she could hear. Silence. Ba-bum. Silence. Ba-bum.

The rhythm of her broken heart.

The silence was broken. Sakura furrowed her brow, listening. 'Footsteps,' she thought to herself.

Footsteps. Someone was coming to her. Running to her.

"Sakura?!" The door burst open, and a flustered girl ran into the room. A moment of silence. Sakura's eyes met Ino's.

"I-in-in," Sakura choked. Ino came for her. She wasn't alone. Tears welled up in Ino's eyes and she fell to her knees, tightly wrapping her arms around Sakura. Sakura shut her eyes and buried her nose in Ino's neck, fingering through her fine blond hair.

'She came…' Sakura thought, 'She found me here…'

Ino's lavender and blue kimono soaked and muddy, but Sakura didn't care. The two girls just held each other, sobbing.

"He…he promised he'd do it and he…went after-"

"Sasuke. He chose to find Sasuke instead of marry you," Ino finished Sakura's sentence. Ino remembered it all to well, and she furrowed her brow. Naruto…he had hurt Sakura badly. Sakura was more important to Ino than anything and he crushed her delicate heart.

Sakura felt another tear run down her cheek.

"He sent a kage bunshin to marry me," she whispered.

"I know," Ino nodded. Ino didn't let go of Sakura. She would never let go of Sakura.

Sakura felt herself relax in Ino's arms, and deeply inhaled. Ino was warm. Sakura loved her scent; lavender.

"I'll always stay with you, Sakura. I'll never leave you."

A pause filled the air, and Ino felt Sakura's body get closer to her own. Blood rushed up to Ino's cheek, and she held her breath.

"I know," Sakura whispered, smiling, forgetting all about the situation. Forgetting all about Naruto. She brushed her lips across Ino's cheek and tasted the salt on her face.

Ino was crying for her?

"Sakura I-"

"I know."